The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) was an executive agency of the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It carried out animal disease surveillance, diagnostic services and veterinary scientific research for government and commercial organisations. It was based in New Haw, though had offices and laboratories around the country, such as in Sutton Bonington.
It was both an International Reference Laboratory and the EU Community Reference Laboratory for avian influenza.